Working with Neighbors and City Government
While I was President of the Homeview Neighborhood Association, our playgrounds needed to be replaced due to age, health, and safety concerns. After a few years of no response, I spoke with a couple of city council members. At the same time, there was a switch in leadership in Recreation, as well as unexpected availability in the budget, so we were able to get approved to completely redo our two playgrounds. A committee was formed of myself, another neighborhood representative, city staff, the architect, and Recreation Commissioners. We all worked together with the community (through polling and meetings) to get great designs done in a great timeline. At the end of construction, we held a neighborhood/city-staff BBQ — with sponsorship from a local business — to celebrate. At the end of the year, our project won APWA of Silicon Valley's Project of the Year 2019.
Compromise solution for Housing Element - balancing needs between state, city staff, and residents
Integrating Business and Community
As a private singing instructor here in Belmont, my students have sung for over a decade at this extraordinary event supporting music in public schools. This event is a great example of residents, businesses, schools, and city officials coming together to create a wonderful moment for everyone.
And I think that’s what it’s all about. All facets of a community working together to better that community. No one truly benefits from an “either/or” mentality - it’s the “AND” mentality that gets the best results. So, it’s not either trees or housing; cyclists or hikers; commercial or residential. It’s trees and housing, cyclists and hikers, commercial and residential…all living together and working to create a better community.
